High Fives Foundation gives Beaverton woman an adaptive kayak
Joanna Adams injured her spinal cord in a ski accident at Mt. Hood and is moving onto competitive summer sports. Congratulations and High Five Joanna!
(Truckee, Calif., September 15, 2016) – California Non-Profit the High Fives Foundation is awarding an Empowerment Grant to Beaverton resident, Joanna Adams, who injured her spinal cord at Mt Hood in 2009. This Empowerment Grant will provide 28-year-old Adams with an adaptive kayak and a specialized cushion so that she can enjoy river kayaking and eventually compete.
The High Fives Foundation is a national organization that helps mountain action sports athletes who have suffered life-altering injuries.
In January 2009, Adams was snowboarding at Mount Hood with her boyfriend. She was trying to race him to the bottom because of her competitive nature. The conditions made the snow very icy that day.
She was going too fast and inadvertently vaulted off a snow covered rock, upsetting her balance enough that she crashed on her back. She immediately felt a sharp pain but kept tumbling over and over. When Joanna finally came to a stop she was on her back, and couldn’t feel below her waist. She had previously trained as an EMT and knew immediately that she was paralyzed.
Since her injury she has made major gains in recovery. She is the first person in the state of Oregon to graudate with a Physician Assistant degree. She currently works in neurosurgery where many of her patients are newly injured with spinal cord injuries.
“Joanna is really adventurous, and she will excel at any adaptive sport she pursues” said Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “Now she’s ready to take on a new sport in summer that she can be competitive in.”
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | JIM HARRIS
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | TAYLOR FIDDYMENT
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | JEFF ANDREWS
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | BRANDON PITZER
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | CHRIS LUNA
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | JOANNA ADAMS
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | BOND CAMP
HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | NICK FAIRALL
